The only thing that stops the dust is the rain. It’s a sweet reprieve, but there is no middle ground. The land is either as dry as the Betty Ford clinic, or as wet as the ocean floor. Everything can be seen from the ridge overlooking Armadillo as John Marston gently bounces along atop...

"Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends" is the highly anticipated second installment in the critically acclaimed, award-winning real-time strategy (RTS) franchise for Windows, "Rise of Nations." Created by Big Huge Games and Microsoft Game Studios, "Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends" transports RTS fans into a world embroiled in an epic battle between the forces of Magic and Technology. Gamers fight through towering cities, flame-swept deserts and brutal ice plains in battles filled with mystical creatures, fantastic machines and stunning acts of magic.

"Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends" takes the next big leap in the RTS genre with an all-new 3-D engine, immersive in-game cinematics, integrated story-driven gameplay, a multiplayer (MP) mode for fast-paced games and clan support to build online communities.

Gamers transform small villages into powerful expanding civilizations and lead vast fantasy armies into strategic battles using formations, unit control and heroic abilities to destroy the enemy. They guide a young inventor's struggle to unravel his world's ancient past and unite its people against an unimaginable threat.

Conquer the World Campaign. The immensely popular Conquer the World (CTW) Campaign returns to "Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends" with exciting updates. The award-winning CTW gameplay guides players through a new world of heroes, monsters, loyalty and betrayal. Gamers follow a gripping story through multiple campaigns with fascinating subplots and heroic characters. They experience an ever-changing three-dimensional world with terrain and cities that evolve as civilizations grow.

Innovations in the RTS genre. "Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends" evolves the franchise's trademark gameplay features such as borders, attrition, huge armies clashing and the building of cities, but with innovative twists.

Streamlined and intuitive gameplay. To streamline gameplay, Big Huge Games has improved army and research interfaces, making for easier gameplay with less emphasis on micromanagement. Gamers can choose between fast 20-minute games or longer, more-involved campaigns for those wanting a classic RTS experience.

New options for multiplayer and online play. Several new innovative MP features will be discussed at a later date. At a high level, the game caters to those players who don't have four hours to spend on one match; the gameplay has been designed so that even a 20-minute game is a rewarding experience. That may seem quick, but Microsoft and Big Huge Games are working hard to ensure that these are full-fledged battles, not mere skirmishes.

Compelling, integrated story line. "Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends" transports gamers into a fantastical world, where they guide a young inventor's struggle to unravel his world's ancient past and unite its people against an unimaginable threat. Gamers can quickly build small villages into powerful expanding civilizations and lead vast armies into strategic battles between the forces of Magic and Technology.

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